Drainage apparatus



May 10, 1932. c. 1 DAY 1,857,362

DRAINAGE APPARATUS Filed Nov. 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 1%, 1932.

c. L. DAY 1,857,362

DRAINAGE APPARATUS Filed Nov. '7, 1950 2 Sheets$heet 2 merzzor.

Patented May 10, 1932' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE -CLAYTON DAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO BRIDGE & IRON COM? PANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS DRAINAGE APPARATUS Application filed November 7, 1930. Serial No. 494,155.

This invention relates to improvements in drainage apparatus for floating roofs, and more especially to such apparatus designed for draining rain water. here shown as applied to a floating roof or movable top closure for a container adapted to hold oil, gas, or other fluid. There is a common type of storage tank for volatile oil such as, for example, gasoline, crude oil, and the like, in which the roof floats on the surface of the liquid in order to lessen evaporation. My invention is illustrated as embodied for use in connection with such a floating roof.

The features and advantages of m invention will appear as I proceed wit my specification.

In that form of device embodying the features of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the roof in its lowest position; Fig. 2 is a new 1n side elevation; Fig. 3 is an end VIEW. of the lower section of the drain pipe showmg the same in its lowest position; Fig. 4 is a plan view similar to Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation simi ar to Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a view showing the details of one of the swivel joints.

As shown in the drawings, 10 indicates the ordinary cylindrical shell or side wall of a tank and 11, the bottom.

The top is closed by a floating roof 12 which may be of any well-known design. The roof 12 floats on the liquid or gas in the tank and is free to move up and down in accordance with variations in the amount or volume of the fluid stored.

The floating roof 12 is preferably dlshed toward the center in order to accumulate the water at that point and is there provided with a sump 15 with a suitable perforated coverplate 16.

The drainage apparatus comprlses primarilydrainage piping leading from the roof to the outside of the tank. Such piping includes a relatively long lower rigid portion of pi e 17 with its lower end pivotally mounted su stantially at the bottom of the contain or near one wall. Numeral 18 indicates an The invention is outlet drain section leading from'the lower end of the section 17 to the outside of the container.

It will be seen that as the roof rises and falls, the upper end of the section or portion 17 of the drain pipe will move in an arc. That is, it will move vertically and also somewhat laterally. Because of this lateral movement, itis not possible to connect the upper end of the pipe 17 directly to the roof. To make this connection, therefore, I provide a collapsible upper portion of drainage piping with the upper end connected to the roof by a swivel joint and the lower end connected to the upper end of the section 17 by a swivel joint. As here shown, this collapsible upper portion includes the two sections of pipe 19 and 19 connected together by a swivel joint 20. A chain 21 is provided to limit the extension of this upper portion of the drainage piping, said chain 21 serving to prevent the sections 19 and 19 from moving into alinement. That is, the chain 21 prevents the sections 19, 19 from getting on the dead center or reverse.

In Fig. 2, the upper collapsible portion of the drainage piping is shown in collapsed position by the broken lines and in extended position by the solid lines. It will be seen that as the floating roof 12 gets near the bottom, the upper end of the section 17 will come to rest substantially on the bottom of the tank. As the roof continues to descend from this point, the sections 19, 19 will collapse into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. As the roof rises, the two sections 19, 19 will straighten out or extend until the chain 21 becomes taut. The upper or inner end of the section 17 will then start to be lifted. As this lifting continues, the two pipe sections 19, 19 with the chain 21 will form a rigid triangular structure, such structure being herein referred to as the collapsible upper portion of the drainage piping. The upper or inner end of the section 17 will be suspended from the lower end of this triangular structure and as the roof rises, this triangular structure will swing on its upper pivot to take care of the lateral movement of the upper end of the pipe section 17.

The inner end of the pipe 17 is prevented from resting exactly on the bottom 11 of the tank by means of the foot 22, said foot holding the inner end of this pipe a short distance above the bottom 11 of the tank.

' The swivel connection of the lower end of the section 17 at the bottom of the tank is indicated by 23. This connection is made with the outlet drain pipe section 18.- The swivel connection between the lower end of the collapsible upper portion and the upper end of the rigid lower portion is indicated by 24. The swivel joint between the up I end of the upper collapsible portion and t e roof is indicated by 25. This joint 25 is made with a short substantially horizontal section of 'pipe 26 that leads to the sump 15. i

The details of the swivel connections are not of great importance. As here shown, the 'ipe is divided or bifurcated at each of these oints in order to equalize the strains. The details of one of these joints is shown in Fig. 6. This fi re, for example, shows the swivel joint lietween the pipe 17 and pipe 19*. It will be seen. that the upper end of the pipe 17 is bifurcated to form the two branches 17, 17 the inner ends of which are swivelly mounted in the cross pipe 19 at the end of the pipe 19. Suitable packing 27 is provided to make tight joints. 7

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Drainage apparatus for a movable roof for a container formed of piping, comprising; a lower rigid portion with its lower end pivotally mounted substantially at the bottom of the container; a collapsible and swingable upper portion with its' upper end connected to the roof by a swivel joint and its lower end connected to the up er end of the lower rigid portion by a swive joint; and an outlet section leading from the lower end of the lower section to the outside of the container.

2. Drainage apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the collapsible upper portion consists of a plurality ofpipe sections connected together by swivel oints.

3. Drainage apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the collapsible upper section.con-

by a swivel joint and a flexible tension member connecting the remote ends of said sections, said tension member serving to prevent extension ofsaid sections into alinement.

5. Drainage apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the collapsible .upper portion is adapted to collapse when the upper end of the lower portion reaches the downward limit of its travel, said collapsing permitting the roof to descend to the lower limit of its travel; and in which such collapsible upper portion is adapted to extend when the roof rises and form a swingable connection between the roof and the upper end of the lower rigid portion of the dram pipe, said connection serving to support the upper end of the lower portion of the drain pipe from the roof and permit lateral movement of the same as the roof rises and falls.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 3rd day of November, 1930.

CLAYTON L. DAY. 

